A rich man's problem.

I have a friend who was without her refrigerator for, I believe, 21 days. It was under home warranty and she had to jump through several hoops in order to get the thing fixed. That translated into a lesson in patience and congeniality.

I will say that my friend passed with flying colors. Everyday for that 21 days she would go and buy ice for a cooler and attempt to keep a 1/2 gallon of milk for more than a day without it spoiling. She was forced to waste tons of food and to say she was inconvenienced is an understatement, but do you think my friend was angry? ( Okay, she might have been but work with me people) My friend just kept saying, I'm sorry for complaining, it's a rich man's problem. She's right. If she lived in a third world country then she wouldn't have a refrigerator. She wouldn't have to worry about not having the proper tools to feed her family because a refrigerator had never played a role anyway so there you are. Now, while I see her point and I am impressed with her beautiful spirit of grace through this entire ordeal I would just like to say. What is a poor man's problem?

The first thing that came to mind is what if your Yak died? Which made me laugh out loud and thus started this blog in my head. But seriously, think of all of the problems in this world that could majorly effect one person and not even phase another. What if the computer network went down? What if your pot broke? What if you got a sore on your foot? What if it didn't rain? What if it did rain? What if the air conditioning went out? What if a herd of monkeys came into your home and trashed it? Which is the story I'm going with when my husband comes home just so were all on the same page!

Think about it. A farmer prays for rain for the growth of his or her crops so that their harvest will be plenty and they can achieve their goal of a good haul. Whereas, a builder prays for no rain so that he can pour a foundation and it can adequately dry so that the building will be strong. So, who does God listen to? Without food the builder would starve and a farmer needs a house.

As you go about your day today, I want you to see your problems through a different set of eyes. It will be hard because problems are, but think about how your problem might be helping another person and is your problem something that is really THAT bad? It might be and therefore I'm not necessarily talking to you, I'm more talking to you....over there..in the shower cap. Oh and put a shirt on for heavens sake it is way too early in the morning for any of that.

Because of my friend a refrigerator repairman had a job, ice maker people had a job, we are all connected and one man's problem is another man's opportunity. We are all part of the body of Christ. We work together through thick and thin. To quote the 80's hit show Facts of Life..."You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and there you have..The facts of Life! "

21 days without a refrigerator with two small kids is a huge inconvenience, but my friend made it through the whole ordeal with her family still beside her and her butter is again not mushy. Go out today and enjoy your world!

A few of my favorite things.

You know it is really important to be thankful for every thing in your life be it large or be it small. I have been making an internal list for a few weeks now of things that make me smile every time I think of them. Some are large and some aren't but I wanted to share them.

1. I love the way that people who don't know my husband very well, think that he is quiet and shy or (perish the thought) a snob. My husband while a highly intelligent well trained workaholic can also be extremely silly and fun loving. It is one of the major things I first fell in love with. LOVE!

2. I love my parents yard. My parents, who have been married for almost 50 years love to work in their yard together. It is beautiful. There is a fountain, and paths and places of quiet respite. I can go there and sit in the swing while my children have a fabulous time playing hide and seek and we all leave recharged and at peace. LOVE!

3. I love glass bottle cokes, if (before you read this post) you were to bring me a 6 pack of glass bottle cokes as a gift, I would have said that person really understands me. It isn't even so much the coke part of it while at only 100 calories and 8 ounces of fabulous in itself is a blessing. It is more of an experience. A step back in time. I love the feel of the cold glass and the shape in my hand. It just makes me happy. I can't explain it. It just does. Love!

4. I love the way my husband's family celebrates his little sister's birthday. It is always the same. It is the first weekend in October. My husband's mom has a fire going in the fire pit outside with lots of candles and pumpkins and other such fall like frivolities. It really is something straight out of a magazine. We always have the same menu of hot dogs and chili with s'mores for dessert. My husband's cousin is famous for his raps that he puts together for everyone's birthday, and we all just genuinely enjoy the evening. Love!

5. I love my friend Kristine's chocolate chip cookies. Heaven help me those things are little blobs of heaven. She tried to send me some a few months ago only I never received them. She received back a portion of the box. I am convinced the mailman knew what they were and ripped into them right then and there. I can't say as I blame him. LOVE!!!

I will stop at 5 for now as to not bore you with my own things I am thankful for, but today I challenge you to think of the obscure things in your world that make you smile. I would love to hear what they are. Is it a smell? Is it clean sheets? Don't even get me started about Clean sheet monday!!! LOVE! Whatever it is be thankful for it right now. Stop thinking about the things that might be bothering you today and think about the things that make you smile. It will start your day off in the right direction.

Have a great one!

Happy Anniversary!

So, yesterday my sweet husband and I celebrated 13 years of wedded bliss. Do you know what the suggested gift is for a 13th wedding anniversary? Textiles. Yes, textiles. What am I even supposed to do with that? I'm pretty sure my sweetie would appreciate of a bolt of lovely blue fabric but then what on earth would he do with it? Hang it on the wall? Sit on it? Textiles. Bizarre.

13 years is a long time. It is crazy how fast it has seemed to go. Now, since you probably don't know me very well I will also tell you that I have known my hubby for even longer than that and if you go from our first date we have been together for more than 21 years.

The longevity of our relationship has not come without its bumps in the road. It takes a lot of time and pressure to make a diamond and that is what we are working on. I love him more today than I did on our wedding day. I heard someone say once that the way to have an interesting relationship is to stay in one. It is true.

It isn't easy to work through all the stresses and messes that life brings. It is much easier to go live by yourself and eat the same thing every night, but when I look to my parents who have been married for almost 50 years, I can see that the reward is well worth the challenges.

Be honest and truthful with your spouse. Tell them the things that bother you. If it causes a fight so be it, nothing worth having was ever easy. Just remember, you don't just sit down at a piano and know how to play you have to learn and practice.

Happy Anniversary sweetie! I'll get right on those textiles.

Humphammers

Oh my word you have got to know about this restaurant!

Humphammers is more of an experience than it is a restaurant. My personal favorite is their Humpburger because I don't know what they do to it but it is such a good thing that it has to be written about! I'm getting ahead of myself.

When I get together with my friend Leah she and I want to always eat in the restaurants that are the local favorites. Not chains but ones that have been there forever and locals eat at every chance they get. We call it Rachel Ray'in it.

So last summer, the kids and I decided to find places like that close to our hometown that, even though I've lived here my entire life, we might not know about. It was in this little summer program that we found Humphammers. (cue the angels singing.) Now I need to say, for all you healthy organic folks I'm not talking to you. Well, I'll talk to you but only if you're ready to walk on the wild side.

Humphammers is in an old gas station. There are about 7 tables at the front and it is a convenience store in the back. They carry Freshen up for goodness sake! Hump, the owner, is always there to welcome the customers and there will always be a few old men there to chew the fat with him between customers. Everyone feels welcome!

This morning there was some sort of police sting operation going on just up the street so you can imagine that the conversation was lively with everyone guessing what it might be. It is loud and greasy and it is wonderful!

They do breakfast which is wonderful especially if you love an egg sandwich but you can not go wrong with the burger. It is on Clinton highway next to Thress' nursery.

It's the thought that counts.

Have you ever heard the expression It's the thought that counts? I've used it. I've decided I don't like it. It sounds like the biggest excuse I've ever heard. Okay, I thought about buying you a car and because it is the thought that counts you need to be that much grateful to me. K? K! How silly.

Now, apply this to friendships. In order to have a friend, you have to be a friend and that doesn't mean sending them an email that says I'm thinking about you when your friend is down. That means getting uncomfortable and doing what the friend needs not staying in your comfortable position and yelling across the room I'm praying for you! We are called to be God's legs and hands get out of your easy chair and do something!!! Anything!!!

1 John 3:18 says Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

So, today I challenge you to get up! Get out of your comfort zone. What does your friend need? This is the fun part you get to pick which friend and what you are going to do. I'm guessing you know which one needs you. It is probably an easy choice, but there is probably something that is holding you back.

Job 6:14 says A despairing man should have the devotion of his friends.

Which of your friends is despairing? Have you already done so much for them and you are tired of it? They are just way too needy and you are thinking you are done and need to move on to your own family or another friend?

Today I challenge you, what if that was you? Would you want someone to keep trying to get a lifeboat out to you or would you want someone to suddenly stop trying and call from the shore. "Sorry, it's just too hard but I will pray for you!"

Today be God's hands and his feet. Love God's people no matter how unloveable they are. Remember it's not just the thought that counts it's the action that goes with it.

Oh for Pete's sake!

I just want to start by saying that I have no idea who Pete is, it is more so the nicest thing I could say today after every mishap of mine. Thus the blog entry....

Do you ever feel like nothing you do is right? I have had one of those days. The house is a wreck, the laundry isn't done, I did have a nice dinner on the table but it was so rushed you wouldn't have known it.

I must say that I am mainly grouchy because of the heat so take everything I say in the next few minutes with a grain of salt. Again...I have no idea what that even means.

Here are just a few of the myriad of offenses I committed today.

1. I left a shovel out in the yard and the people who were here working assumed it to be theirs and took it.

2. I went to the store for two reasons only, to get a prescription filled and to purchase one other item. I realized I already had the prescription filled and I forgot the other item.

3. It was dark when I came home and I for some reason left the windows down on my husband's car so when he went back out to get what I had forgotten at the drug store there they were open to the elements. It would have stayed like that overnight if he hadn't gone back out.

4. I was watering some plants and the hose wasn't threaded properly so I was apparently watering our foundation which is bad.

and these were all in a period of about ten minutes.

We are all going to make mistakes. Some of us more than others. We are not perfect and God loves us anyway. When you are having a day like mine remember to just try harder next time and better yourself. If you start to waller in the ooze of depression of not good enoughishness nothing good will ever happen.

Everyone makes mistakes. No one is perfect. You just need to try harder next time. Said the goob who just realized I left my keys in the lock of the house on the outside. Oh good night...I'm going to bed.

Everyone has their own opinion...and that's okay.

The other day I ran into a girl I had graduated from high school with. We chatted about what life had brought for these past 20 years and I learned some things. She was apparently pregnant when we graduated and now had 5 children who were all almost grown and she was herself a grandmother. CRAZY! She asked about me and I told her that I had gone to college, worked in advertising for several years and then had my children who were now 7 and 9. She said what do you do? I said Oh, I stay home with them. She looked at me so very confused and said, but you went to college.

I went to a new doctor yesterday. She looks to be about my age. As we talked, she told me that she has two children 1 and 3. She explained to me that because she was a doctor and her husband was a lawyer they had decided that a nanny was a requirement. I was probably just as dumbfounded as my former classmate who couldn't understand why I was wasting a college education on being a mom. I don't understand why on earth people have children if they don't want to raise them.

Before everyone gets all mad at me I'm not talking about parents who have to work because if they don't there isn't going to be food on the table. I'm talking about a lawyer dad and a doctor mom who have decided to hire someone to care for their children the majority of the waking hours.

That is about as foreign to me as the going to college to stay home is to my former classmate. I can't wrap my brain around it and it drives me crazy. I can stand on a soap box and argue until I am blue in the face about why people should stay home with their children but you know what? That is my opinion, and other people have their opinion and it takes a whole bunch of opinions to make this world go around and if everyone thought exactly like me it would be a very boring world.

So, your thought for today is to respect other's opinions. I'm not going religious or political on this because that is much deeper than the big blue chair can handle for this morning. I'm just saying there is a reason that when you go into a grocery store there are umpteen million different flavors of ice cream. There are a lot of us sharing this little planet and we all need to get along. We don't all think alike, we don't all look alike, but we all have something in common. We are all human and God loves us. Today celebrate who you are, but don't criticize someone else for who they are. You are the chocolate chip and they are the cherry vanilla.

Have a wonderful day my sweet friends!